High Speed Rail to Boost Seremban’s Property Market

High Speed Rail in Seremban.

Seremban is poised to become one of the few cities in the world linked by a fast and efficient railway system once the 350km Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) is completed in 2026.

Being selected as one of the seven transit stations for this gargantuan infrastructure project is no simple accomplishment for a bustling city of half a million, as it will soon join a list of elite metropolises with their very own HSR networks, like Paris, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo, which pioneered this concept.

Boosting economic status.

Just like what happened to the once sleepy South Korean town of Daejeon, which transformed into a transportation hub and the fifth biggest city there after the completion of the country’s HSR, Malaysia’s upcoming railway is expected bring the same benefits to Seremban, as well as boost the economic status of the city and the standard of living of its people.

Property prices within the vicinity of the HSR station in Seremban is also expected to appreciate considerably due to its proximity to a mass transportation network.

As a matter of fact, land prices in the area have risen significantly following the announcement that Seremban would be among the transit points in the HSR, said Hoo Kim See, Central Region Senior Manager of IJM land Bhd.

This represents a substantial windfall for people who have already invested in properties there, as well as individuals who have savings in Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN) or Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB).

Bandar Ainsdale project is a MUST HAVE.

This is because Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), which manages the ASB and ASN schemes, is one of the major stockholders in Sime Darby, a property player with developments in Seremban, like the Bandar Ainsdale project.

With the HSR set to pass through Seremban in the state of Negeri Sembilan, the authorities are doing their best to promote the state’s tourism sector.

According to Tourism Committee Chairman Datuk Tun Hairudin Abu Bakar, the selection of Labu as one of the HSR stops was a clever move. Although it is 16km from Seremban, it is merely 25km from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

“This will ease the journey of HSR users to and from the airport,” he said, adding that traveller could get off at Labu station before proceeding to KLIA, or they could spend some time to explore Negeri Sembilan before resuming their journey.

Notably, the state of Negeri Sembilan recorded 7.5 million tourist arrivals in 2015 compared to 5.5 million in 2014, but this could increase further following the completion of the HSR.
“As we welcome this, we must also step up the game. I believe that upgrading the public transport system in tourism spots is needed because a good travel experience will leave a lasting impact on visitors. Locals who are working or venturing into tourism businesses will also benefit the most from this.”

Furthermore, the HSR could attract more foreigners to study in the country, said Dr Nuradli Ridhzuan Shah, Director at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia Islamic Finance and Wealth Management Institute.

“I am confident that easy access to a higher education institute will spark interest in foreigners, especially from Singapore to further their studies in Malaysia.” In turn, the growing foreign student population could help drive the country’s economy.